Editorial: Common sense approaches to gun violence

Sunday

Feb 9, 2014 at 12:45 AMFeb 9, 2014 at 4:26 PM

The MetroWest Daily News

Unlike some other states, Massachusetts didn’t rush to pass new gun laws in the aftermath of the horrific shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in late 2012. Instead, the state’s leaders embarked on a serious study of gun laws and gun violence in the Bay State, and with good reason. We already have some of the nation’s toughest gun laws, but there’s disagreement over how well they function. Moreover, there are unintended consequences lawmakers should avoid, especially where mental illness and gun rights intersect.One product of that study, a thoughtful report released this week by a committee appointed by House Speaker Robert DeLeo, puts gun violence in Massachusetts in a national perspective. Among its findings:Massachusetts gun laws have been ranked the sixth strongest in the nation as of last December by the Brady Center. They had been third strongest until some other states jumped ahead.Massachusetts has the third lowest rate of household gun ownership in the country.From 2001 to 2010, the state had the second lowest rate of gun deaths in the U.S. We have the lowest rate of firearms suicides (nationally, suicides by gun are more numerous than homicides by gun), and a very low rate of gun homicides and fatal gun injuries.That doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvement. Most guns used in crimes are not registered to the person who used them, for instance. They were purchased on the secondary market, often from out-of-state, without records kept or background checks made.The committee has several good recommendations to address that, including requiring all secondary sales be completed through a licensed dealer, with background checks required. It did not include in its recommendations Gov. Deval Patrick’s call for limits on how many guns a buyer who isn’t a registered dealer can legally purchase each month, which is one way to cut down on illegal sales, but that’s a measure the Legislature should consider.Gun owners have long complained that current law gives police chiefs too much autonomy in granting gun licenses, leading to inconsistency and confusion. The committee called on the state’s police chiefs to create a set of guidelines for determining suitability, a compromise that should reduce, if not eliminate, the arbitrary rejection of applications.The committee called for the state to eliminate delays in the gun license renewal process that leave some legal gun owners in limbo while waiting for their renewals to be processed. It also revealed a gap in the law that will surprise many who don’t own guns: The training required to obtain a gun license does not include live-fire training. That’s like handing out drivers licenses without a road test, a shortcoming that should be addressed.The committee recommends Massachusetts bring itself into compliance with the federal Instant Background Check system, which is intended to keep people with substance abuse and mental illness from gaining access to firearms, but with reservations. While mental illness has been a factor in some high-profile mass shootings, the vast majority of people with mental illness are more likely to be victims of violence than perpetrators. The most worrisome unintended consequence would be if people who need help with mental illness hesitate to consult a professional out of fear they may have to forfeit their guns or their rights. The committee recommends reporting only individuals deemed by a judicial finding to be substance abusers or mentally ill with a likelihood of serious harm. Those who seek voluntary treatment or who are involuntarily hospitalized for assessment should not be reported.The committee’s report recognizes that guns aren’t the only cause of gun violence. In particular, gang activity in the state’s urban areas is a prime source of gun violence. Reducing that requires a range of investments, from neighborhood outreach workers to job, recreation, mental health and substance abuse programs.The committee behind the report, chaired by Jack McDevitt of Northeastern University, an expert on criminal justice policy, was well aware of the partisan polarization that comes with gun control initiatives. That may be why its 44 recommendations are moderate, even understated. Lawmakers may consider more dramatic measures, but the common sense recommendations now on the table seem to us a good place to start.While legislators consider ways to make the state’s gun laws more effective, citizens considering buying a new gun or holding on to an old one should think about another conclusion backed by research: Having a gun in the home substantially increases the risk that someone in the home will die of suicide or a firearms accident. The best way to reduce gun violence is to keep weapons securely locked, or to not keep them at all.